Beating the Kumuls is no 'gimme', given the pedigree they have in their side and the energy they are likely to draw from a fanatical full house at the Oil Search Stadium in Port Moresby.

You do not just give prestigious Test caps away to players because they are non-English: but the whole sport knew that, save for maybe one or two exceptions, this was going to be an English squad. The registered address is Red Hall, Red Hall Lane, Leeds, LS17 8NB. Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby Limited Registered company no. The lingering feeling that this was England’s national side in another name was palpable before the players even departed from home following Bennett’s squad announcement. Beaten in their opening game by a Tongan Invitational XIII, Britain suffered a two-Test series defeat by the Kiwis and on Saturday were humiliated 28-10 by Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby.

It's nice.". Bringing it back was always going to be about seeing what the interest was like in the southern hemisphere but prior to PNG, there hadn’t been a full stadium. “We need to play in that, that’s where these guys are getting all their improvements from. It has been just what was needed at the end of a difficult few weeks for the reinstated Rugby League Lions. Papua New Guinea has put the fun back into this Great Britain tour. "It will stay with me for as long as I have a working memory.". "I've a soft spot for PNG. © 2020 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. The boys all want to play for their country now. The Great Britain coach, Wayne Bennett, says the Lions’ whitewash on their tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea demonstrates the rising standards of the international game. Sinfield is quick to point out that rugby league’s Lions should not be compared to their rugby union counterparts – and with no domestic leagues of any strength to speak of in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, he is right. They have not fallen as far off the rails as has been implied by some critics and, taking into account the number of truly influential and world-class players who have not been available for one reason or another, it is a little knee-jerk to be over-critical. The RFL. “So, while we’ve got to swallow a bitter pill as Great Britain, on the other side of the ledger I see the game getting stronger. The halves need to spark, chances need to be taken. How Stanley Gene used rugby league for good in PNG, The patio-building Kumul out to 'bash' the Lions, BBC to show Papua New Guinea v England Women. My contract is up now so I’ll just wait and see and have some discussions. Sun 17 Nov 2019 15.47 GMT

Other International Teams. Maybe not, but even so, there are questions to be asked about what happens now. “My dialogue with Wayne has always been excellent,” Sinfield says. The bottom line in sport is it needs to entertain - that is what it exists for. “They’re playing more Test matches and more competitions and you’re starting to see the benefits of it. Read about our approach to external linking. The hope here is for a home win, but they will enjoy it all the same, even if Great Britain take the spoils.